The Chart That Should Accompany All Discussions of the Debt Ceiling

Its based on data from the Congressional Budget Office and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Its significance is not partisan whos "to blame" for the deficit but intellectual. It demonstrates the utter incoherence of being very concerned about a structural federal deficit but ruling out of consideration the policy that was largest single contributor to that deficit, namely the Bush-era tax cuts.

In other words, GOP and your ilk: Shut the F&&& Up. You caused this mess and you should pay the political price for the cleanup. Most folks can see the utter failure of the GOP/Tea Party anarchism is in the lack of understanding of what it means to govern. Dems are blowing it. Per usual.